Moot muso beats stroke, releases new CD
A singer from the Moot was able to record his first CD after eight years of recovering after a stroke.
A well-known singer from The Moot is on track to record his first CD eight years after recovering from a stroke.
In 2011, Gerrit van Loggerenberg of Hermanstad in Pretoria West suffered a “massive stroke”, his wife Lena said.
“His condition was so bad that doctors had no hope of him ever surviving,” she said.
“Doctors could not drain the cerebral bleeding because it would have cost too much. Besides, they did not think he would pull through.”
Lena said her husband was a well-known singer in the Moot area at the time.
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“But with his stroke, he could not even speak, let alone sing,” she said.
It was testing for the family, she said.
“I had to give up my gardening service work to look after and take care of him full-time,” she said.
Lena said Gerrit had to relearn how to walk.
“He showed me one day that he wanted a cane and so he taught himself to walk again,” she said.
“I took him to Alabama regularly because I know how much he loves music. I’d pushed him in his wheelchair to the stage and he could sing, but he could not yet speak.”
Gerrit was under the impression that his CD would only be finished next month and was surprised when it was handed to him by singer Joey Lane at a restaurant in Rayton at the weekend.
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“It was just such a one huge ‘wow’ to see how God answered my prayers,” Lena said.
“I prayed so much and asked God to spare his life because I knew how much he wanted to bring out his CD.
“When I look at his CD, I have tears of gratitude.”
“He was speechless,” she said.
“We all started crying and he could not finish singing.”
“He wants to show others who have suffered the same fate that anything is possible with God on your side.”
Lena said they are planning to visit schools, retirement homes and various rehabilitation centres to motivate others.
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She said Gerrit’s CD will be registered for sales next week.
Before his stroke, Gerrit performed at various restaurants and pubs.
“A week before his stroke, he arranged to record his first CD with the singer Ray Thomas, but five days after that he had his stroke,” she said.
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